I 570 
9 

E45 
opy 1 



BIFFING 

THE BOCHE 




"We said it." 
"Huh?" 



1919 



Biffing the Boche 



Home-Swats 

-By- 
E. S. ELLIOTT 



Over-Seas Raps 

— By— 

EDWARD S. PETERSON, 

Mess Sfft. 163 Ambulance Co. 









FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA, 
1919. 



Copyrighted 1919 

— By— 

BIDWAftD S. PETERiSaN. 






C1A5'31476 






JUL 26 lyi9 



•V*"»0 I 



THIS WAS THE YEAR 



(Dec. 31— last hour— 1917) 

This was the year America put on 

Her battleraiment, and beneath the plume — 

The white plume of democracy, world-wide, 

Filled the high seas with transports, radiant 

With the red flower of her valiant youth, 

Willing to die that righteousness might live — 

That the signed treaty and the given pledge 

May be inviolate forevermore. 

Safe from a despot's despicable degree. 

The sky, mast-pierced is beautiful with stars; 

Great nets are swung from deep boat hatch to wharf 

Filled with the sustenance and tools of men 

In foreign port on business for their land — 

And for all lands who never will acclaim. 

That right makes might, or killing children, war, 

Necessity the Judge, and that the God 

Sports upturned mustache, and is helmet crowned — 

This was the year, — 'tis twelve o'clock, — and past. 

EDWARD S. PETERSON, 

Mess Sgt. 163 Ambulance Co. 



4 BIFFING THE BOCHE 

Heroes All 

Your real hero is usually the modest man and in common place 
language describes stirring events through which he has passed usually 
attributing to his comrades the honor of the experiences. 

iSuch a iboy we now have in mind — a North Dakota boy who drove 
a tank in the fighting of the Argonne Forest. 

"The men that handled the guns were the real fighters, I only 
drove the tank," was his explanation of the severe fighting in that 
region. "Of course, that kept me busy and in the course of the fight- 
ing at that front I drove into many machine gun nests, always subject 
to being put out of commission by the fire of anti-tank guns — and it 
did'nt take a very big gun to do the work in the smaller tanks. 

"Machine gun nests were thick in that region but the tanks usual- 
ly crawled up to them and a bunch of Germans usually greeted us with 
"Kamerad" with both hands in the air. 

"The gunner would have them throw down their arms and march 
to the rear, and we then were ready for the next step toward making 
the world safe for the Democrats and Non-partisans." 

The tank was really one of the big factors that enabled the Am- 
ericans to push through the forest that had been invincible since before 
the days of Julius Caesar. 

EVERY BOY HAS A STORY 

Every boy that went from North Dakota or the neighboring 
states really has a story worth telling but very few of them will ever 
sit down, arrange their anecdotes or history into readable shape and 
the people that stayed at home will be the losers by their' not doing so. 

It is equally true that in this great northwest many things hap- 
pened that these boys know nothing of and which reflect credit upon 
our people and which should be passed on to the next generation. 

THE' LITTLE MISS TIL\T WAS KISSED 

A troop train stands in front of the N. P. depot in Fargo — its ten 
coaches filled with husky youths from Montana and the west. Women 
with baskets containing apples, gum, cigarettes and the like, and wear- 
ing the Red Cross distinctly placed on their caps, are serving the boys 
from the baskets. Cheers are going up from the crowd assembled and 
from the occupants of the coaches. All is life and youth and vigor and 
gaiety when a young miss, pretty as a picture, demure as a saint passes 
close to a car window and stops to gaze on the soldiers. 

Two husky youths reach from the car window, grasp her arms 



BIFFING THE BOCHE 5 

and raise her Uip to the windows of the car and imprint a kiss each on 
her fair face as only the genial soldier about to start for the war 
knows how to do. 

This action startled the fair one and when she was released she 
walked slowly away her manner indicating that she did'nt know 
whether to be pleased, angry, honored or insulted. But the older wo- 
men only smiled. 

THESE TROOP TRAINS 

During the months of May, June and July, 1918, troop trains were 
passing through our city it seemed almost continually and the cheers 
of the assemibled crowd, would give notice to the cftizens of their ar- 
rival. Always they were met by the ladies of the Red Cross and 
furnished the luxuries the soldier craves. 

WHO WON THIS WAR? 

A gray haired woman who is still active in all good works and 
who knit and sewed for the Red Cross remarked: "It seems to me 
that the old women and the young boys bore the (brunt of winning the 
war. What work did the old men and the young women do?" Of 
course there is truth in the statement but the young women and the 
old men helped keep business going, bought Liberty bonds, cared for 
the children and did the accustomed daily work. 

HARVESTING A BUMPER CROP 

But there was one place where the young women did shine and 
that was on the harvest fields. Clad in a combination pair of overalls 
and jacket, hair tucked beneath a cap and wearing gloves, the girls 
of the city shocked thousands of acres of grain in 1918. The big 
stores had organized gangs of these girl workers in the harvest fields 
and the rivalry between the different groups was something fierce. 

Picture a 1,000 acre field of wheat yielding 30 bushels per acre, 
a warm summer Sunday, with a few hundred men and girls working^ 
to shock this grain and you have some idea of the intense patriotism 
aroused and a very pretty scene. 

The proceeds of this work invariably went to the Red 'Cross, the 
farmer whose work was thus done sending in a check for what the 
work would have cost him in the ordinary way. 

At the close of the season the city of Fargo staged a "shock troop" 
parade and it was a novelty that was photographed for the movies and 
exhibited in this country and abroad. 

SHOWED THE YELIX>W STREAK 

In the summer of 1917 Max Eastman and a few others were un- 
able to comiprehend that the United States was at war. Max came here 
to make an address and he was entertained every minute of hi« stay 
and went 'back east convinced that the west was fully as wild as the 
movies represented it. 



BIFFING THE BOCHE 

Max started a few sentences of a speech of protest, when a home 

guard yelled, "Where's the flag?" Another called for the singing of 
"The Star-!Spangled Banner" and the national anthem was sung. Max 
was assisted to his feet (by a husky guardsman and by that time he was 
a thoroughly scared man with only the thought of escape. Well, he 
escaped, minus his hat, and after a local sympathizer had bought him 
a new suit of underwear and a hat, he shook the dust of the city from 
his feet. 

NEARLY 100 PER CENT LrOYAl. 

Just about that time the great American Federation of Labor 
inaugurated a campaign to make its membership 100 per cent loyal to 
the government in its prosecution of the war, and to the city of Fargo's 
credit, this move was anticipated and the local organization sent duly 
accredited delegates to the great St. Paul meeting. 

To this organization and later to the larger War Organization be- 
longs the credit of lining up very nearly 100 per cent of its citizens 
behind the President's war policy. 

SLIGHTEST SUGGESTIONS OBEYED 

During the war the President of the United States and the Na- 
tional Council of Defense seemed to be the governing body of the 
country. 

When the food administrator asked the people to save meat, bread 
or fats, sugar or other commodities, the people cheerfully complied. 
In this section of the country — the greatest wheat producing portion of 
the United States the people ate corn flour, rice flour and a bread 
made from a mixture of wheat flour and substitutes, went without 
meat, ate little sugar — and assisted in full measure in conserving food. 



Stories of our own Boys 

Now these are the stories of our own boys, and while perhaps 
poorly told and common place, they have at least the merit of being 
true. 

"When I was put to training rookies in a southern camp I was 
amazed at the ignorance of many of the drafted men from that section. 
I rememher one private in particular, a big husky fellow strong as an 
ox and of splendid physique. This bird couldn't tell his right hand 
from his left and I seemed to be unable to make him comprehend. I 
finally hit upon a happy solution by giving him a heavy piece of iron to 
carry in his left hand. While he carried the iron I could make him 
comprehend which his left hand was by telling him it was the one that 
cerried the weight. When after about three hours his arm became 



BIFFING THE BOCHE 7 

tired I referred to his left hand as the one that was tired. In about 
three days I had him educated to the point that he knew his left hand 
from his right." 

THE FIRST AIRPLANE RIDE 
"I always felt as if I would like the airplane service," said an- 
other, "until, I took a flight with a student friend of mine who had 
become quite an adept at the flying game. 

"I stepped into the basket and the straps were securely fastened 
and with the hum of the engine and a series of exhausts that sounded 
like the firing of a machine gun we were off. The earth dropped 
swiftly away and we seemed to be stationary in space with all thingrs 
sailing swiftly by beneath. 

"I felt all right and enjoyed myself until I happened to look over 
the edge of the basket when we were flying upside down in a 'loop 
the loop.' When I expected to find the solid ground I could only see 
the clouds and the sun and away off up in space where I exipected to 
find the clouds I could see the solid earth, with the barracks showing 
like a clump of small boxes and the river showing only a riWbon run- 
ning off with space either way. 

"One trip was enough for me and I had no further hankering for 
the air service, although I suppose had I begun in the way all students 
did I would have progressed by easy stages and liked the game." 

PICKED FOR ^DLITARY POLICE 

"When I reached camp and had been issued a uniform, in com- 
pany with a large number of other recruits, I passed inspection for the 
military police. The inspector went up and down the lines and lined 
up the required number of us that had a height of 6 feet with the 
physical qualifications to match. The colonel looked us over and 
would playfully rub him thumb against our ribs and say, 'you'll do 
nicely'. Before I knew what the service was I was assigned to the 
military police and three days later I hadn't a friend in camp. 

"This condition had its advantages as well as its disadvantages for 
it gave me plenty of time for study and by close application I was soon 
promoted to corporal. 

"At this time I began to study the text books of the artillerj' 
instructors and after six montEs of study I applied for a chance to take 
the examination for instructor in artillery. The captain advised against 
it saying that many of the sergeants who were taking the examinations 
in this but were falling down, but if I felt I should take it to go ahead, 

"I took it and passed successfully." 

THE FRENCH 75' s 

"Speaking of artillery fire", said a veteran who had followed the 
barrage to the German lines and then helped clean up the front line 



8 BIFFING THE BOCHE 

trenches with the bayonet, "the most wonderful gun in the world is 
the French 75. The artillery men could direct the fire very accurately 
and they were certainly rapid firers. The secret of their action is in 
the recoil and was not known outside the foundries of Prance until the 
demand for them ibecame so strong that quantities had to be cast in the 
United States. 

"We always felt safe in following the barrage fire of these guns 
as their accuracy was remarkable and many a German attack was 
broken up by these guns." 

THE BIG NAVAX. GUNS 

"The Americans toward the close of the war had mounted some 
of the largest of their coast defense rifies on railroad trucks a short 
distance back of the main line and threw thousands of their gigantic 
shells into the forts around Metz and Sedan. Days later I saw where 
these shells had dropped and any building that was hit promptly 
crumpled up. Once within range any fortification above ground was 
doomed when these guns began shelling." 

A WIL.D TIME IN PABIS 

"Of all the exciting days I ever saw or expect to see the day the 
armistice was signed was the liveliest one in Paris. For thirty-one 
hours after the signing of the armistice, Paris was a bedlam and physif 
cal exhaustion was the only cause of its cessations. Bells were rung, 
whistles blown, automobiles honked and every device known to man 
to produce noise was employed for that purpose that day. It was one 
grand holiday and it was a long and hilarious one. 

"Processions would form in the street and march away, only to 
be followed by others going other directions and there were several 
processions at the same time and all the time. Soldiers would be 
surrounded in the streets by girls and women and would have to kiss 
them all before being let go. I kissed good looking young girls, ugly 
looking ones, fat girls, thin girls, old girls and every sort of girl that 
day until I never wanted to kiss once since to this day. 

"It was amusing to watch some of our older officers when they 
were thus under fire. Being kissed iby every sort and condition of wo- 
man known to Paris was distasteful to many a colonel or major but 
the old fellows were caught in the mob that surged back and forward 
and could not help themselves. 

"The city was one vast pandemonium of noise and hilarity. The 
Germans were licked, knew they were licked, were already whining 
as only a German can, and so why shouldn't Paris be gay." 

THE SAWED OFF' SHOTGUN 

"When General Pershing had learned how trench raids wera 
conducted by the Germans and the Yanks experienced these tactics as 



BIFFING THE BOCHE 9 

soon as they took up any of the front line sectors, he sent to the 
United States for a large supply of sawed off shotguns. As a method 
of stopping trench raids they were about the best devised. A sentinel 
withone of these guns couldn't fail to hit some at least of the enemy 
when he was making a night raid. 

"With the arrival of these weapons trench raids by the enemy 
were stopped, possibly not altogether due to them, hut at least their 
arrival greatly accelerated the discontinuance of the practice. I have 
helped pick up three dead and seven wounded Germans where a patrol 
from their lines had endeavored to get by a sentinel armefi with this 
effective weaipon. 

"The Germans made protests to the neural nations and whined 
about the harbarity of their use, and that was the best indication of 
their usefulness." 



The Bugle Calls 



The following is a series of sketches by Sgt. E. S. Peterson, who 
saw service in the Philippines and in the great war just closed. Later 
on Sergeant Peterson will publish a full account of his experiences: 

THE START j 

The last Saturday evening in Septem'ber, 1917, I was at the G. N. 
depot to see €o. "B" of the "Famous Fighting First" depart for an 
eastern training camp. They were booked for duty in the great world 
war. An immense crowd bid them "God-speed". The initial Monday 
in October I was on a train with units of the "Second North Dakota", 
the "Smashing Second" that was smashed on its arrival at Gamp 
Green, North Carolina. One of the memorable happenings was the 
presentation of a mammoth box of delicious chocolates by loyal friends 
in Fargo at a midnight hour. 

Had a wonderful time in Camp Green and the delightful, hospital 
city of Charlotte. Who can forget the charming southern lasses and 
their alluring expressions. People cheered and hand-waved us all the 
■way to Oamp Mills, Long Island. I ever will remember the real, 
home-like Thanksgiving dinner it was my privilege to be invited to and 
to attend. The sunny home, "Dixie" the mothering hostess, the cord- 
iality of the men, the laughter and lure of the ladies and the winsome- 
ness of the girls. And then my last trip to New York the Sunday be- 
fore we left. It was 20 below by the Wool worth building, and 40 be- 
low, above. But there, on the highest building on earth, I was on 
"Top 'o the world". Even the "'Statue of Liberty", looked small and 
unconvincing, though the sky back of it was red, and it seemed as il 



10 BIFFING THE BOCHE 

1 could see the fires of hell raging in a little war-torn republic across 
the mighty seas. 

EVERY DAY 

From December 10, 1917 to May 28, 1919, I wrote perhaps sev- 
eral hundred thousand words in a daily diary of my experiences, be- 
sides a great number of poems. Some day I hope to print a completb 
record, but in the space allotted to me in this book, I can only crovcfl 
in a few items snatched from a number of days. 

ANTICIPATION 

Monday, Dec. 10: We are all very busy getting things ready for 
a sudden move from camp. The men of each tent keep fires going all 
night. 

Tuesday, Dec. 11: It was so cold we changed kitchen details every 
hour. 

ON BOARD 

Wednesday, Dec. 12: I got up at 4:00 and by 5:30 I had two cans 
of tea boiling on the pipeless stove. Gave out all the rost-beef sand- 
wiches and most of the tea. The men police their tents and put their 
cots in the kitchen. At 7:00 o'clock we all fell in line with full equip- 
ment and soon marched away. It was a cloudy day and a light snow 
was falling, and the boys were indeed happy to leave this cold, uncom- 
fortable camp. Marched past boxes and crates of equipment and cloth- 
ing at the camp Quartermaster, past the most interesting building of 
all, the Army PosolTice, and then lined up near the "Country Life" 
building by a string of passenger cars. We found the cars cold, but 
did not mind it much, for we were on the way. We shot through vil- 
lages, past stores and factories and beautiful houses, but at the end of 
less than an hour we got off, and in a few minutes were at the dock. 
We then stepped onto a large tug boat. Though the boat was crowd- 
ed, an apple and candy and sandwich salesman made things interest- 
ing. We steamed under big bridges, the famous Brooklyn included, 
past numerous water-craft, both great and small, and then by the nine 
hundred foot "Fatherland", and other Americanized German boats, 
now used as transports. On reaching a pier we immediately went 
ashore, lined up according to previous program and marched over to 
another one only a few feet away on the other side. There, after giv 
ing our names to an officer we were handed a slip of paper with our 
bunk number, our mess number and sitting, also designating our life- 
TAtt. Sailors showed us our bunks, three-tier high. We were all set 
at 9:30, two hours and a half after we left camp. The transportation 
officer was certainly there with the go-ods. We had a good meal 
aboard the boat, in fact, two good meals before we were ordered to be 
in bed and have lights off by 8 o'clock. 

Thursday, Dec. 13: Coffee and rolls at 7:30, breakfast at 



BIFFING THE BOCHE 11 

9:30, dinner at 3:30. The sailors mess room has a piano, and be- 
tween meals soldiers and sailors mix and enjoy music, singing and 
dancing, — besides it is the only smoke place. 

WE'RE OFF 

Friday, Dec. 14: Boat had started last night at 8:00 o'clock. 

Go 11 knots an hour, around 121 miles at sea, now. Six transports in 
our bunch, three in sight. Of the convoy, one cruiser is visible. Cold 
on deck, and a high sea. No one sick, but some very anxious. 

'Saturday, Dec. 15: One of our boys was segregated — measles, 
and another had a successful operation for appendicitis. Had good 
porkchops for breakfast. Fine hot weenies and saurkraut for dinner. 
Have a Victrola on a hatch platform and some of the latest music. A 
brrrel of magazines were put aboard the first day and are still enjoyed. 

Monday, Dec. 17: Seems to be warmer. Had sunshine for at 
least ten minutes straight. A few cases of sea sickness. Canteen open 
at 10 o'clock. Candy and smokers delights, cookies and fruits and 
toilet articles sold. When daylight dies the "smoking lamp is out". 

Tuesday, Dec. 18: Stormy seas so only half the boys out for cof- 
fee and rolls. "Rise and shine" did not interest the sea-sick boy. 

UNSEEN HEIPEBS 

Wednesday, Dec. 19: We have a big convoy, cruisers and tor- 
pedo boats. They come closer at night. All we can see is one lone 
cruiser. The others are the unseen helpers. Have to wear our life- 
preservers at all times, day and night. Like a double pillow collar 
slipped over our heads. 

Thursday, Dec. 20: We must be near the warmer isles. The 
sun shines almost continuously. The deck is so alluring. The sea- 
sick boys who wanted to die last night are up enjoying the summery 
spell. 

A third of the commissioned officers ajboard of both the army and 
navy are Spanish war vets. Have target practice. The two fore and 
att six inch guns do some good work. 

Sunday, Dec. 23: Church services at 2 o'clock. The ocean rough 
with innumerable white caps. A day-held half moon over the second 
mast. Chaplain a Spanish war vet. Music by band. The shoir sang 
"Let the lower lights be burning". They did not add, "ex'cept on this 
boat". The Chaplain said, "What was wrong in America would be 
wrong in France." Ordered to sleep with all our clothes on tonight. 

"MAD DOGS" 

'Christmas 1917: Choppy seas and a sky with shifting clouds 
that let the sun shine through for many happy whiles. The blessed 
convoy visible all around us. Coffee and cake for lunch. Scrambled 



12 BIFFING THE BOCHE 

eggs, oatmeal pudding, mammoth California canned prunes, fresh 
bread and coffee for breakfast. Our captain acted the part of Santa 
Claus and after a very appropriate speech presented each member of 
the company with a Christmas smoke. We had a good dinner of boil- 
ed ham, a goolash of cabbage, mashed spuds and turnips, some fine 
sour pickles, cake and tea. The boys all had candy and the spirit of 
the day was present. 

iDecemiber 27: Someone sights land at 11:25. Too far away to 
see by the naked eye. So I went below. Then all of a sudden, I heard 
the boom of cannon, — soldiers came rushing down, said they were 
ordered below, submarines sighted, several minutes of intensity, and 
then we were allowed on deck and were given a glorious, generous 
sight of land. Then best of all, our Flag, "Old Glory" was flung to 
the breeze over a placid sea the heart-happy cheers of the crowded 
deck of soldiers and sailors, the aeroplanes of red, v/hite and blue sail- 
ing overhead, the sight of a big city near, patrol 'boats, a view of far- 
flung sails, and best of all joy in every heart, a song on every lip. We 
had been close to death, but our convoys were right on the job and it 
is believed one "mad dog" will cease to bite. Anchors were dropped 
and we had a good supper. After seven, soldiers and sailors mingled 
in the sailors mess room in a big jutjilee, music, song and felicitations. 
Lights on the boat all night. 

Friday, Dec. 28: We see the great port of St. Naizarre in the 
distance but we must wait for the tide to swing us closer to the shore 
and pier. Everybody happy. We will soon be in Joan's land. Ice 
floating on the water. Several inspections and physical warnings. Salt 
water shower baths taken. Then the port — the sound of wooden shoes 
on the wharf as kids scramble near for pennies. See a "Y" banner on 
shore with the words "Here to serve you". One of the boys heard a 
flock of seagulls flying overhead and said, "Why don't you talk Eng- 
lish so we could understand you?" 

CHURCH SERVICESE 

'Sunday, Dec. 30. — 'Many transports near. French venders, boys 
and women, out in row boats selling apples and chocolate. More capes 
then overcoats seen on the men in the streets. Boys figuring out what 
the signs mean. Sun shining but a chilly day. Church services. The 
Chaplain wished us all a "Happy New Year". His text was "Happy is 
the man who walketh not in the council of the ungodly." All hands 
at salute when our National air was played; also when the band gave 
an excellent rendition of the French national hymn, our boys stood 
attention. After the services the boys called for more music and 
"Goodbye Broadway, Hello France" roused tremendous enthusiasm. 
Sailors get shore leave. They look fine in their glad rags. When they 
came back they brought copies of the New York Herald's Paris edi- 
tion. Gee! but it did look good to us. The news was very optoniistic. 



BIFFING THE BOCHE 13 

Monday, Dec. 31: Last day in the year, Yo-ho. Still on the boat. 
Muster and inspection at eleven in the sailors mess room. One sol- 
dier said, "Lifebuoy" is not a toilet soap. Rumors galore. Some 
outfits expected to go ashore, but nothing doing. The black Steve- 
dores are getting things ready so they can unload the boat. The 
colored helpers ashore are strutting around with blue dress uniforms 
on. I turned in a dandy one at Bismarck in 1916 — well? 

NEW YE/AKS ON THE SHIP 

The darky night crew quit just before 12, and all was quiet, 
and then at the midnight hour the new year was given a wonder- 
ful reception. Whistles on hundreds of boats blew, pistols were shot, 
the decks on both our boat and our sister boat alongside were crowd- 
ed with boys yelling and cheering — all the transports whistled and 
rang bells. Finally our band marched across to the other boat, play- 
ing, "A Hot Time in The Old Town tonight," then "Marching Thru 
Georgia", and then with much "pep", "Rally 'Round the Flag" and 
the applause rang up, almost to the stars, and the silvery moon that 
was nearly covered with thin veils of passing clouds. Everybody 
happy, and the "New Year" was certainly ushered in with due patriot- 
ism and enthusiasm. 

WE LAND AT LAST 

Thursday, Jan. 3: At last we go ashore at 3 o'clock. The 
sailors hated to see us go. Hit the French soil and then called roll 
and then marched off to the train. The stores and buildings, pris- 
oners of war, seemingly contented, a few women, and plenty of kids, 
all looking for something. At the depot we received our traveling 
rations, the iron kind, cornbeef and hardtack and then found our 
cars. These third-class coaches were about the size of the old-time 
American caboose, four apartments, eight men in each apartment. 
The car is so small, that if I leaned against it I believe it would tip 
over. Good bunch in my section, but there is only room to sit up. 
One dripping-oil wick light — worse than a candle. 

Saturday Jan. 5: We were ordered off in a village in the hills.^ 
Marched down ten winding blocks to a big restaurant and were served 
glasses of what the French call coffee. Double-timed back and our 
bunch found a new coach waiting for them. This had steam heaters 
on the floor for our feet, and it was fine and comfortable for awhile, 
and then, something happened, and we were colder than usual. 
There were a couple of French soldiers ahoard, one had three years 
on the front, and was not yet twenty years old. With hardly any 
sleep for two nights, and with prospects of continuous cold weather, 
the boys somewhat dreaded the coming of the dark-time, but Brown 
says "This is the crucial test, and if we pass this night, all right, 
we will be all entitled to medals." A train of briquette coal passed 



14 BIFFING THE BOCHE 

by. These briquettes are about the size of a ten cent loaf of bread. 
(Before the war.) 

AN ANCIMNT OITY 

Monday Jan. 7: This is an ancient city, some of it built 164 
years before Christ, and parts of the ancient walls are in splendid 
shape. One of the officers told me one of Caesar's lieutenants laid 
out this city of Langres. It has about 12,000 population, and on a 
hill 1500 feet high. Of course it has been rebuilt several times since 
Caesar's time. 

Tuesday, Jan. 15: Talked with a boy who had been to the front. 
He had many interesting stories to tell of liquid fire, gas and gas 
masks, fighting in the open shell craters, how the men are prepared 
before they go over the top, etc. Had good roast beef, fried spuds, 
coffee and bread for dinner. 

Friday Jan. 18: Moving day. Were soon billetted in a little 
village by the name of St. Geosmes, about two miles from Langres. 
Perhaps 500 people here. Boys sleep in various house-barns. I 
have a kitchen in one. Two rooms and a shed. Front room for 
stock — second room for the stove and tables and the shed for wood. 
Monday Jan. 21: A big load of French flour in 200 pound sacks on 
the way to town — man and wife walking — three horses, single file 
pulling the heavy wagon. 

HOW THE FRENCH FIGHT FIRE. 

Tuesday, Jan. 22: The boys were out drilling, the sanitary 
squad was busy cleaning up the town, and the water detail hitting 
the long trail to the spring. The first real excitement after dinner 
was the coming of the mail — that is one of the happiest times in a 
soldiers' life — one sergeant got as high as 25 letters. Then came 
excitement number two, and it was a dinger. The barn-house across 
the street where we sleep and the Top sergeant has his office was 
spitting fire from the chimney. The building is built of brick and 
cement and has a red-tiled sloping roof. News of the fire spread 
quickly and it was not long before all the village women, old men, 
kids, belles and toodleums were standing near waving hands and 
talking, as if that would put out the fire. Then the women got busy 
and rushed forth, and carried cloth pails of water from an old green 
cistern near. But our boys were right on the job. Larson climbed 
up the water pipe with a pail of water and in his stocking feet shot 
up to the top of that slanting roof, quick as a cat, and barely spill- 
ing a pint of the precious fluid — tore up the tiles that hugged close 
to the chimney and poured the water on the blazing boards beneath. 
By this time several ladders had been brought up, one held on the 
roof, and one set up from the ground and several of our boys stood 
on the various rounds and passed up the buckets to the men on top. 



BIFFING THE BOCHE 15 

Then the mayor of the town in full uniform, black and red cap 
light blue military coat and wide red belt came tearing down the 
street, back of him the ancient horse drawing the fire pump on 
wheels, looking for all the world like an old-fashioned section man's 
hand car, the fire chief leading the horse? Stopping in front of th- 
building, the chief, taking in one hand the nozzle of the 50-foot 
leather hose, started up the ladder, but when half way up he sud- 
denly remembered that he did not have his official headgear on so 
he hastened down, snatched a glittering spiked helmet from his 
wife's hand, then shot up clear to the top. Though the fire was out 
the chief officially did not think so. for after poking his head down 
the chimney he ordered more water and forced it down the hot bricks 
while the soldier-boys pumped, four on each side of the long handles' 
and the young women hot-footed with pails to keep the tank full but 
many of the females and the children were dancing around, chattering 
and excited. It was near supper time but I had hard work to keep 
my K. P's on hand, especially the red-headed detail, as there was 
several fire haired, fairy mademoselles running around loose. After 
enough water had gone down the chimney to flood the office floor— 
the fire chief, waved to stop, but the mayor was not satisfied he is 
about sixty years old, but very spry— he ran up the ladder, pushing 
aside our boys still clinging to the rounds, and after sticking his face 
down the chimney hole, he had the chief shoot down a few more 
gallons— to show his authority and wisdom, I suppose, but anywav 
our office floor had a good cleaning. The fire was not a serious one. 
and the whole performance was very amusing to the boys, but the 
villagers did not seem to see it that way. 

Wednesday Feb. 6: Bought several hundred franks worth of Sales 
Commissary goods for the boys, such as smoking materials, toilet 
articles, chocolate candies and canned fruit. We get 5 franks seventv 
for a dollar. The government price on rice is $7.25 a hundred, beans 
dry, $7.90 a hundred; bacon $12.50 for 36 lbs.; figs, $5.46 for 42 
lbs. Fixed up an old bake oven which had not been used for 15 
years, and it works fine— 300 biscuits in 15 minutes is easy. E. H. 
Southern the noted actor is in Paris and entertaining the soldiers at 
"Y" places with his timely recitations. 

WAR FASHION NOTES. 

Thursday Feb. 7: Maison-Jenny open up their spring fashion 
«how in Paris. Many foreign buyers. Woolens still scarce. Over 200 
models. Silks, satins, serges and lace designs. Skirts still short, and 
this season, short sleeve. Lack of brilliant colors, though flashy touch- 
es in the headgear. 

Monday Feb. 11: Took a hurried trip to the city on the truck 
with a bunch of men who go on detached service. On the way back 
passed "Mart" the red headed tar girl on the way to the city in her 



IB BIFFING THE B(X)HE 

glad rags. Also passed one of our boys helping a couple of French 
maidens get their dope from the city home to the village in a push 
cart. "Bill" was pushing the cart. 

Near Flag-station 23 where the auburn-haired, solemn-faced 
maiden lives is an old monolith, topped with a granite cross and on 
it is the date 1115. 

Monday, July 18: Heard the cooks stirring so I got up. I went 
"•o the mansion where 80 of the boys are billetted. Went up the wide 
steps. On the right hand side is a large stone dragon. It sure would 
be a fierce looking thing to see for an anti-prohibitionist. It is 
hydra-headed, and there is also a head on the end of its tail. 

Went to the C. 0. for authorization slips for rations and gas, 
and found him in a stone house by the Y. MJC. A. Fields was 

trying to chase up eggs for his breakfast, and he said he found out 
that he could not get any till Friday, and the €. O. said, "What? 
The hens only lay on Friday, here?" 

Then with a couple men as detail started out on the ration 
truck for rations. Had to take helmets and gas masks along. 
Passed through La Ferte and was soon on a steep up grade. A great 
deal of traffic — cavalry and infantry, and all seeming so tired. Went 
by a number of French and American trucks and one unit was 
loading on shrapnel shells. Near the far horizon an aeroplane was 
being shot at by anti-air craft guns. As many as ten balls of smoke 
dotted the sky near it. Went to a salvage dump. I loaded on a 
fairly good G. I. can. The K. P.'s took two good brown overall 
suits. There was an unlimited supply of shoes and leather goods 
and boxes, acres of stuff that could not be used on the front fighting 
lines. A big hospital is being built. At the ration dump I drew 
fresh peas and beans, carrots and onions, and I wanted lemons so 
I got 180 of them, all this besides hread and frozen heef, coffee, 
sugar, jam, potatoes, candles, etc. Picked up a tired infantry man on 
the way back, also saw two of our ambulances. One of tne drivers 
told us they had been busy day and night hauling machine-gun 
wounded. 

CAMAFLAUGE. 

Tuesday July 23: On the ration truck. Passed a French wagon 
drain, all the rigs being camaflaughed, the canvas especially. Crazy 
dabs here and there of dark browns and light — light blues and grays 
and greens. The train was going slow and a few mules were used. 
In the city saw some German prisoners. The Hun field uniform is 
the sloppiest in the world. Saw wire-entaglements, stretching for 
miles towards the uplands. These were old rusty ones — the new 
wheat was two feet high and had ne;/>Jy hidden them. They were 
nearly twenty feet wide. Some of the old zig-zag trenches were 
filled in, and grain had been sown right up to them. At the rail- 



BIFFING THE BOCHE 17 

road while waiting for rations, a double-decked passenger train came 
in — it was the first I had seen. Got a Paris Tribune. It says "Poe 
fails to stop Allies." Also, "Major Roosevelt wounded leading his 
men in charge." He is the second Roosevelt to be wounded. Also, 
"Quenten, the youngest is reported from German sources to have 
been killed in his aeroplane and buried with military honors. "I 
say, the great Exemplar could not fail to have heroic sons. Langer 
got back and said he had been moving wounded. Think of it mov- 
ing crippled soldiers in a truck. 

A FRENCH SHAVE 

Wednesday, July 24: Today besides the regular ration, I drew 
carrots, young onions cauliflower, about 150 pounds of ripe toma- 
toes. Harvesting machines in the wheat fields — 'Canadian make. 
The wheat looked as good as our No. 1 hard. Traveled about sixty 
miles for regular and reserve rations. Guenther said he had had 
only 8 hours sleep in the last four days — he had carried hundreds 
of wounded in his ambulance. I had a shave — ^a French female 
barber, the razor was not sharp, tears came to my eyes, but I lived 
through it. A hard straight-backed chair with narrow head rest. 
After the shave I washed myself, then she sprinkled some fine smell- 
ing dope on my face with an atomizer. I visited the village church — 
the colored windows in France are superior to anything in America. 
The altar Christ had a fine expression but there was cobwebs on his 
head. The best appearing soldiers in Joan's land went by. They 
had six foot swords and attached to the right foot of every fourth 
man was a ten-foot "dragon", a kind of a spear which could be swung 
four feet in front of the horse, and by the way every horse was 
brown in color. The French cavalry look like real fighters. Thirty 
aeroplanes sailed overhead. Seemed for all the world like a flock 
of geese and in geese formation. 

July 25: Saw a French ammunition train — small white trucks 
driven by French-talking Chinese. I counted over two hundred — 
24 in a unit, and each truck had an ensignia, like an Ace of Diamonds, 
or a clock with the hands denoting the third hour. Beyond the vil- 
lage square are several captured Hun trucks. They were very much 
shot up— machine gun bullets must have killed the occupants. Pow- 
erful engines but the wheels have wood and steel tires. Rough 
riders truly. Rubber has been scarce in Germany for a long time. 

CHATEAU-THIERRY 

July 30: On the way to Chateau -Thierry for rations. Had to 
stop by the side of a road for awhile — met an M. P. who claimed to 
have enlisted as an M. P. he said a whole company of Philadelphia 
cops got in the game that way. Trees shot off near the roots. In 



18 BIFFING THE BOCHE 

a- village on a hill, every building was wrecked by shell-fire. Only 
an open air meeting could be held in the church. Heard the pound- 
ing of big guns — troops going and coming, saw two arches of a 
three-arched stone bridge cut off clean as a whistle— just a few 
walls standing of three and four story buildings. We finally crossed 
a pontoon bridge the other side of the city. After much manouever- 
ing found the railhead and drew rations for the first time direct 
from the genial, hard working, very much alive I^irst Army Corps 
bunch. A sergeant of a balloon outfit told me that the Huns have 
shot down two of the balloons in ten days. He also said they were 
in the city one hour after the Germans were driven out, and he said 
they found a big supply of enemy machine-guns and artillary and 
amunition, and this was used on the retreating foe. He showed me 
a leather belt he captured, on the brass buckle were the wrods, "Gott 
mit una." Cook Cloud who was with me said, "There is sure some 
damage done here, and if there is a fly, a mosquito or cootie left, 
he must indeed be a cripple." Over one million Amex troops here 
now. 

FIGHTING MEN 

August 1 : An aviator's grave by the long white road. His 
helmet on the tiny cross — on his grave a wreath of wax flowers. 
What nationality I do not know, but he flew high for the Righteous 
Cause. His home had been in the menacing caverns of the, air — 
he now rests in the stable bosom of the friendly earth. Heard the 
roar of big guns for an hour, then reaching a station drew 200 gal- 
lons of gas and a barrel of oil. Believe Yanks say when going over 
the top, "To hell with death. Let's go." A S. S. U. Ambulance 
man told me last night that he saw our boys going over the top with 
sleeves rolled up, their packs thrown away, and yelling to beat the 
band, while the French would go over with dash, but with every- 
thing, and everything in order, and yet he said the French lost more 
men than the Americans at that. Yesterday's Herald said, "Prussians 
and Bavarians unable to stop Americans." I understand these royal 
troops are the best in Germany, but Americans can beat the best 
in all the world. 

August 2: This is Friday, our moving day, and we move — Villa 
Sa Marne, this time. 

HUN FIGHTERS 

Augusts: Several hundred Hun prisoners are quick-stepping 
down the Paris-Metz road. I should guess that 90 per cent of them 
are around the ages of fifteen to seventeen. Putting the Prussian 
Guards in battle and using kids, can only mean that the game of 
attrition is getting down to bed rock with the enemy almost covered. 

The beautiful chateau at Villa Sa Marne is used as a hospital. 



BIFFING THE BOCHE 19 

It is owned by an American authoress who married a distinguished 
Frenchman. In walking around the spacious grounds under a moon 
of unusual brilliance it was my fortune to stop and chat with a thin- 
faced bare-headed, convalescent patient. He saw my Phillipine 
service badge and said he served there in '99 with the 21st Regulars 
— knew of the good work of the North Dakota Regiment and was 
there until 1907. He now belonged to the famous Irish Regiment 
the "69th New York"; had been gassed — and arrived here yesterday. 
He was the only cook in his outfit that succeeded in getting "eats" 
up to the fighters in the front line renches. Three-fourths of the 
men who had assisted him were killed. He and the helpers had to 
go up at night time. Litters were used to carry the food to different 
units. They had to crawl on the ground, dragging or pushing the 
litters along. Aeroplanes of the Hun tried in every way possi'ble to 
prevent him getting up to the hungry soldiers. He told me how his 
First Sergeant was killed — of Medical Corps boys with feet shot off 
by metal from a new kind of gun, shooting a mighty mass of iron 
and slugs. Of one of his lieutenants not believing an English speak- 
ing captured German who had lived 20 years in the states, and who 
said he was forced into the war, and who also had informed him that 
there was a big nest of machine guns on the side of a hill near, and 
had begged the lieutenant not to try to take it with a small force. 
The lieutenant is now dead and only three men of the platoon lire 
to tell the tale. The place was taken later by artillery. He told me 
that as a rule the American boys did not take cover enough, and 
nearly always went beyond their objective, thus preventing the 
artillary (barrage and aid. He said he was joshed a great deal when 
he advised them to take cover, and when he volunteered and went 
over the top with his company one day, a great number of his com- 
rades were needlessly wounded and killed, but not until then waa 
his warning followed. He said there was only 22 of his original com- 
pany of 250 left. He spoke about women and men being strapped 
to machine guns, of the treachery of prisoners, of how one Hun wnen 
asked to put up his hands, put his left hand in his pocket, and after 
he was shot, they found cakes in his trousers filled with deadly 
poison. I told him Soissons was captured, and he said there was 
ten million dollars worth of German amunltion this side of It — 
dumps that would take all the trucks in the U. S. Army, working day 
and night, two weeks to move. He also believed the war would soon 
end. We had a long chat on the Phillipines, Governor Taft, the first 
ail-American train there and other stories. He spoke tenderly about 
the men in his company,, their good qualities, and bravery, and now. 
"they are lying out over there", while he, "is here, is here — alive." 
Every once in a while he had to stop and catch his breath, and 
cough. The gas had gone down deep into his lungs. 



20 BIFFING THE BOCHE 

SOME' SPEED 

August 7: At Chateau-Thierry. Yesterday I saw workmen driving 
logs in to the water where the bridge was blown up. This morning 
one steel span bridges the remnants of the shore archways of stone. 
Showing some speed for the. Frenchies. 

Twenty-four hours ago, Charley and other villages were silent 
and tenantless with closed blinds and ghostly avenues. Now, a few 
women and children are back. I have seen little groups of people 
walking rapdily down the white roads of wrecked towns. Have seen 
them stop suddenly before the gaping ruins of what were once happj* 
homes. Tears came to their eyes, as they stood for long periods, 
seemingly just gazing. 

August 17: Nearly all the fields of grain were shocked, and 
many were beautifully stacked — the cone-like way. Old men, wo- 
men and girls were the harvesters. One of the boys seeing a couple 
of lasses picking up every stray straw, said, "These peasants are the 
thriftiest people in the world," I agreed with him. 

August 19: Actors from the states in the "Y" circuit entertained 
the soldiers. The young woman singer had a well trained voice, 
and though not of great range it was full of color. But best of all, 
she was very generous, and sang for a long time for the boys, and 
with the boys. 

Sept. 3: Had another air-raid alarm after nine last night. Some 
of the men went to the "cave". A few like myself, staid in bed and 
listened to the anti-air-craft bombs, "burst in air", and others went 
out on the porch, to see what they could see. 

PACES AJbWAYS FAIR 

iSept. 7: Big shell-making factory in Pompey. Girl workers 
dress in bloomers, or breeches. See them coming from work with 
dirty hands, but their hair done up neatly, and their faces still fresh 
with colors they know how to put on so artistically. 

THEY WERE STARVING 

Sept. 27: At Camp Beiges, in the Argonne district. Who should 
come along but two black privates, typical darkies of the South. One 
tall, one short, and both starving? The tall one asked for coffee with 
sugar in it before I sold a word to him. Then I asked abruptly, "you 
still insist on having the sugar?" — and that caused him and the cooks 
to laugh heartily, the colored comrade showing his good white teeth. 
They both claimed to have walked from Toul, and intimated that they 
had been dodging shells all along the way. One of them asked me, 
"How long is this war going to last, Cheff?" I told them it would be 
several months yet, and the short one exclaimed very seriously, "We's 



BIFFING THE BOCHE 21 

ready to go back, right away." The cook jollied them aibout being 
afraid to lay down by a grave yard to sleep, and the tall negro answer- 
ed quickly, "I wouldn't be afraid to lay down, — but I wouldn't sleep." 
Sept. 28: Wiley came back from a hospital where serious cases 
were being attended to. He mentioned one case. Seven wounded men 
were brought in, the six that died, were Americans, the lucky seventh 
was a Hun. 

Sept. 30: A sergeant told me that when he was going into a hos- 
pital gate with his ambulance, a Hun 77 shell hit the rear of the 
building, a two story one, but no one was killed or injured. He said 
that road holes in two places were 40 feet deep. They had been mined, 
and before the enemy retreated, they were blown up. 

Oct. 2: At Fuetau. Several ambulance companies, several field 
hospitals working together. I went a long distance for rations every 
day, and fed the personnel of the entire bunch. The convalescent, sick 
and gas patients lined up for their meals. Wounded men were 
brought in, in trucks and ambulances, and in the bunch I noticed three 
Huns, black with whiskers and of middle age. 

TELLING THE' CHIEF 

Oct. 3: Heard a good story. Pershing had gone to every Division 
on the fighting front, and every Division was asked if they wanted to 
keep on fighting through the winter, or rest up, and they all answered 
swiftly, "Carry On", and so the story goes, he told them that being the 
case the war would be over by Christmas. A gassed patient informed 
me that he was gassed by a shell dropping a'bout 20 feet ahead of him, 
and the fumes floated back, ere he knew he was in danger. 

Oct. 4: A big bunch of wounded got of the trucks. Mouths, 
legs and arms were bandaged, and some of them must have suffered a 
great de-. 1 of pain, but not a whimper or complaint from anyone. Some 
even smiled, while others pressed their lips tightly together and hob- 
bled towards the receiving ward. A lieutenant colonel 30 years in the 
service hr^d I^een hit in three places by machine-gun "bullets. A few 
officers, mostly young boys, had also been down into the deep valley 
of death, and though yet alive, they were perhaps scarred or maimed for 
life. Of the four Huns brought in, one was an exceedingly fresh guy. 
Trucks and ambulances are busy day and night, and the patients run 
from 300 to a thousand every 24 hours. 

Oct. 5: Across the creek the woods are wearing the fashionable 
hues of autumn. I talked vrith a Greek. Had 'been in America only 
a year and his English was far from perfect. Had served in the Balkan 
war. His ninth month in the U. S. Infantry. He had shot one Hun, 
and had bayonetted three who had fooled him with the "Kamerad" 
call. A group of American actors entertained the boys. How the less 
seriously wounded and sick did enjoy that open air show, just as the 



22 BIFFING THE BOCHE 

golden sun sank down below the green hills. Margaret Mayo the 
author of "Twin Beds" was with them. 

AT ST. JUVIN 

Nov. 5: Roads full of trucks, wagons and ambulances, big guns 
and Holt tractors. We finally found the ration dump, near an ancient 
church with the roof all gone. A large Packard near, the sergeant in 
charge was salvaging a water-wagon and a number of empty gas-shell 
boxes were soon on the way through ruined villages, past dugouts, 
ammunition containers, acres of battle used shell cartridges, machine- 
gun bullets, shellholes that would hide washtubs, and some where a 
Ford would be hardly visible. Also flattened hills, rusty zig-zag barb- 
wire entanglements, holes where a little sleep was obtained, almost 
hidden by green painted blanket curtains. At St. Juvin at the rail 
head were many empty German food supply boxes. The city was 
roofless. While waiting for our turn to get supplies, I went into the 
wrecked church. All that was left of the sacred altar was the Mary 
and Child statue and that was untouched. Near it was a misplaced 
saint in prayer near a misplaced old prophet, gazing or seeming to 
gaze sadly at the ruin wrought. While between some of the pews the 
statuettes of other venerable, bewhiskered seers were undeniably out 
of place. But the Hun gunner had had no respect for any holy edifice 
but that of the Kaiser's tribal god. 

OUR ARMISTICE OEI^BRATION 

Nov. 7: After supper I went to the office-tent. The C. O. was 
there and a few of the boys. They were discussing the news that came 
down that two Hun generals and an admiral had gone over to Pochs' 
headquarters with a flag of truce and had signed up for an armistice. 
The same old dope, — some of the boys expected to go home right 
away, and they got sore when I suggested that they might be here or 
in the Army of Occupation for six months yet. The C O. said he 
would like to pick out a nice little village somewhere, then Brown 
exclaimed quickly after scratching himself, "By gollie- — the cooties 
have not yet signed an armistice." I said I would like to fbe with the 
bunch that goes into Germany or Austria. Then we heard cheering 
far off, then closer, then our own boys took up the cheer, then we 
heard pistol shots, and we all rushed out and the sky was alight with 
red rockets and roman candles, and the air was filled with the honks of 
truck trumpets and cheering, everybody was happy. The war must be 
over. I went over to the receiving ward, many wounded and sick 
were being brought in, and they sure were tickled to hear that the 
armistice was signed though they seemed hardly to believe it. There 
were 77th, 1st, and 6th division boys there. One fellow when told 
the glad news, said, "My, the boys at the front will be happy to hear 
this." I went over to the kitchen, and was informed that a captain 



BIFFING THE BOCHE 23 

who was on the way to the front with orders to take a town, had stop- 
ped there a few minutes and was surprised. Continued cheering and 
much excitement. I was just saying to myself, "I hope this news is 
really true" and I gazed over the tented hill, candle lit, and the sky 
ablaze with brilliant colors. Then I heard band music, and soon under 
the twinkling stars and up the muddy road, ten members of a band of 
the 80th Division were marching and playing a lively air, while fdlow- 
ing them were members of the various hospital and ambulance units 
of our sanitary train, 'besides a squad or two of female nurses. They 
formed in the middle of the road by the long line of motor transports 
and played air after air of rollicking tunes. "Finish Da Guerre" 
was shouted out every once in a while by some uproariously happy 
"Poilu" or "Yank". The music was such that feet couldn't behave, 
and even some of the wounded patients got out and danced round 
after round. It was a stag att'air, but "Ship" the ex-circus clown, had 
made a skirt of a rain coat, and had tied a white handkerchief over 
his red hair, and he and "Cap" had the Castles beat by a mile. "Over 
There" received tumultous applause, and we were all having a won- 
derful time, when above the music and the revelry rang out the cry of 
"Fire." The crowd shot over to where the gas drums were near the 
big supply tent. A 50 gallon drum had gotten afire in some way, the 
gas that had leaked out on the ground was flaming towards che 
heavens, while many of the boys got busy and rolled the full drums a 
safe distance away. I was farther away than most of the crowd, but at 
that, when the drum blew up a hundred feet in the air, I turned to go 
farther back, and tripped into a mudhole. When the boys had put out 
the last wee blaze, the band marched down the road to their camp, 
and I heard one of them yell, "Do it again, — the war is over." As I 
went into the office. Harry told me that our C. O. was too close to the 
fire, and when the drum made its dramatic flight, the back summer- 
sault of the C. O. was a peach, — a skinned one. Some night. 

Nov. 8: Mist on the hills. Tanks with tops hlown away by the 
roadside. Colored engineer road workers galore. Speed shown by 
the Americans building railway tracks. A few blood-red, lingering 
poppies. German huts, one with daises growing in a big box in front, 
and a heavy canvas enemy "kantine". 

Nov. 12: "Villages lit up. Fires lit by doughboys on the road- 
side. Wonder'^1. How dark it has been for four years. The shutters 
are being reopened, and light will again be a source of blessedness, 
not danger ♦n the heroic people of Joan's land. 

LUXEMBURG CITY 

December 1: Very beautiful women in Luxemburg city. Priced 
a ba*- ''* ohocolate that would cost us ten cents in the States, at the 



24 BIFFING THE BOCHE 

most, and I did not stay in that store long after he told me it sold at 
a dollar. Hear that the people are all rich here, — got more money 
then they know what to do with. That may he, — I'll keep what I 
have. The policemen look like admirals in full dress suits. Even the 
street cleaners, the "White Wings", have better uniforms than our 
Second Looies, but believe me, those streets are clean. 

ON GERMAN SOIL 

Dec. 5: Echenach Germany, across the bridge from the big city 
of Echenach, Luxemburg. The women seemed scared of us at first. 
Some of the people are for Hiudenburg and against the Kaiser, some 
for the Kaiser and against Hinden'burg, but none of them seem to 
have any use for the Crown Prince. It was very funny in on© store I 
was in to hear Sergeant Barr talk American, the proprietor, talk Ger- 
man, and the woman customer talk French. Business finally had to be 
transacted in the sign language. This was on the Luxemburg side. 

Dec. 15: Left Kottenheim, Sunday morning at 6:30. Passed 
over rolling prairie land. Several high chimneys of factories. Num»- 
erous yards of rocks, cement bricks, and sidewalk tiles. Villages more 
or less modern. American troops in every place. Crossed the big 
steel bridge across the Rhine at 8:10. A year ago today was our 
first morn out at sea from the American coast. The Huns are licked — 
we will be in the Army of Occupation. 

Our home is in a three story German army barracks, built in 
1914. Electric lights, coal stoves and spring beds in every room. A 
kitchen with a large range, a capacious mess hall and shower baths 
and "kantine" on the first floor of this cement building, up on the hill 
away from the barracks. In my room several hundred feet above the 
Rhine, I can see the village of Ehrenbreitstein below, the City of 
Coblenz across the stream, beyond that the Moselle river, and one of 
the greatest equestrian statutes in the world on the triangle where 
the rivers meet. 

CHRISTMAS ON THE RHINE 

Ohristmas: Went to bed last night with a wish that a little snow 
would cover the gray and green of the terraced hills to make it seem 
more like the holiday season at home, and when I arose, it seemed 
that a million fairies had spread a witching mantle of beauty over 
everything, — and the delicate stars of snow, emblematic of all the ser- 
vice stars in the world, of that great Sei-vice Star of God Almighty, 
set in the heavens to guide the wise men long ago. 

The Red Cross, as ever was right on the Job. Every man received 
a present, ^mine a German harmonicia) — a Christmas tree with all 
the tinseled fusseries, candles and presents — a short program of music 



BIFFING THE BOCHE 25 

and felicitious talks, luncheon and all. I thought of all those bright 
toys I had seen in German shops, but the old masters of the "Father- 
land" had voted against, "Kris Kringle". 

Jan. 16: On the way to the ex-Kaiser's castle, Stozenfels, I asked 
a little boy what languages they taught in the schools. He said Ger- 
man and English. I said don't they teach French?" and he said 
sharply, "nicht." 

In the royal chapel are two large paintings. The one depicting 
Adam and Eve and the other Oain and Abel. The first man and wo- 
man are nearly life size, and are distinctly types of German blondes. 
But Cain and Abel are more cosmopolitan. I wonder if the Kaiser 
ever thought seriously of that famous question, "Am I my brothers 
keeper?" 

What surprised me most of all was a bust of "Joan of Arc" in 
the winter garden under an arch of stone. The only other figure in 
the garden was that of Siegfried, the great warrior. 

MAXIMIIJAJV HARIWEN 

Jan. 9: I bought a box of writing paper, buff, deckle edge, at 
nine marks, and an ash tray made out of half a hand grenade, and one 
of the aeroplane spears, dropped, so the Hun said, during the early 
part of the war. He could talk a little English, and I asked him how 
Maximilian Harden would fit in as President of Germany. I told him 
that he was the only well-known German that told the truth during 
the war, — but the old boy only smiled, and was non-commital. 

Feb. 10: Yesterday afternoon the acting C. O. requested me to 
give a memorial address on Roosevelt. Today I read a paper before 
the Company on "The Greatest Man in the World." Among other 
things I said, "He was not a follower of public opinion, — he made it." 

iMarch 16: I went into the "Y. W. C. A." cafe. 'Twas wonder- 
fully attractive inside, beautifully furnished, but best of all there was 
no, "Officers Only" sign, anywhere. In the cosy rest room, enlisted 
men, women of the A. E. F. and officers were given the same consid- 
eration, the same home-like privileges and attention. 

IN PARIS 

Sunday, March 16: The "Colonel" and I each received a little 
bit o' shamrock from the jolly Irish wife of the English proprietor of a 
French cafe. 

Tuesday, March 18: The old masters used lasting colors. The 
paintings on the walls and ceilings of the palace at Versailles, looked 
just as fresh as the great world-war painting in Paris. The guide 



26 BIFFING THE BOCHE 

said they had never been retouched. He said "Louis the 14th was "a 
very proud man", and a great sport I understand, but, he did have a 
real eye for beauty. 

In the historic Hall of Mirrors we were shown the table the 
Frenchman said they would use for peace-signing purposes. Of tor- 
toise shell and bronze, it was a wonderful piece of work. It took forty 
years to produce. He said they could not make anything like that 
now. I said, "No! They wouldn't take the time." 

In the great hall of French battle paintings, Bill asked the guide. 
"Where is the Battle of Waterloo?" "Ah", exclaimed the guide, "this 
is ze Victory Room." 

Wednesday, March 19: The most striking bit of portraiture in 
the American group in the Pantheon de la Guerre, the 375 foot world- 
war painting, is that of Roosevelt. What does he say to the motley 
group of volunteers? No one can mistake the slogan. You can hear 
the clarion call from that masterful Amrelcan, "Let's go!" The artist 
knew the man. 

Easter Sunday: Before we boarded the Sofia at the dock in Mar- 
Reilles, the Red Cross had real practical presents for every man. Sea- 
Roap, towels and combs, with chocolate and tobacco. 

April 23: One fellow sa.id: "This is not the Rock of CS-ibralter — 
I cannot see the Prudential sign on it." 

May 9: "Got off the boat into a building. Lined up. Saw some 
civilians, — wondered if they could talk English. Marched over to- 
wards some Red Cross women, — everyone received ginger cookies, a 
fragrant cup of coffee, and a large quarter of real apple pie. One 
comrade was so tickled he shouted out, "Now, I KNOW I'm home." 



BIFFING THE BOCHE 27 

"HOMEWARD BOUND*' 



Goodbye, Rhineland! 

Goodbye, France! 
Goodbye, Europe, all! 

We lend a hand 

For Freedoms' Land, 
And now we hear her call, 

"There's a loving father waiting. 

His arms outstretched for you, 
He wants to see his boy again 

As all proud fathers do — 
Far above him there is shining — 

More sacred now to view ; 
The unstained Banner of the Free, 

The old, "Red, White and Blue." 

Goodbye, Allies! 

Goodbye, Friends! 
Goodbye, old Marseilles! 

Now home is sweet 

For weary feet — 
It's "double time", Oh, gales! 

There's a mighty nation waiting — 

A generous land, and fair; ; 

The boys she sent to fight for her. 

She wishes now, back there — 
They did their duty without fear; 

Each played a man's big part — 
Now she would greet them, royally — 

A greeting from the heart. 

Goodbye Rhineland! 

Goodbye, France! 
Goodbye, Eastern strand! 

We cross the foam ! 

We sail for home! 

Hello!— Glory Land! 

Marseilles, April 10, 1919. 

EDWARD S. PETERSON, 

Mess Sgt. 163 Amb. Co. 



LIDKHKY Uh CUNbRESS 



021 545 937 8 



